Mpiani chides Mahama over Terkper dismissal confession

A former Chief of Staff under the Kufuor regime is chiding President John Mahama for publicly stating he is under pressure to sack Finance Minister, Seth Terkper.

Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani is convinced the president's confession is indiscreet.

President John Mahama at meeting with the newly appointed head of Barclays Bank, Ghana, Patience Akyianu, at the Flagstaff House said, albeit jokingly: "I mean several times they’ve interceded with me to sack Seth because he’s hurting the politics. He doesn’t understand the politics. ‘If there’s no money he should go and borrow’, as if it were that easy.”

But the president appeared resolute in his support for the Finance Minister.

"It’s a vicious cycle we need to break and that is why a lot of the reforms that Seth is carrying out in the finance ministry with regard to the Ghana Integrated Management Information System (GIFMIS) and making sure we budget properly and MDAs follow budget discipline and all that are issues that we’re trying to introduce,” he noted.

The president's comments have been condemned by some political pundits.

Kwadwo Mpiani told Joy FM's Super Morning show "It is very interesting for the president to come out with such a statement."

"Presidents have pressures from all manner of people but at the end of it all, it is you the president who appointed somebody to a position.

"..If the person is helping you to achieve your vision and pressure is coming from people to remove the person you may have to explain it to the people why the person is there and what the person is doing."

He said such petty party politicking and the president's remarks can dampen the spirits of the appointees.

A political science lecturer with the University of Ghana, Dr Bossman Asare told Joy News the president's remark is an indication that pressure is mounting on him from all quarters because, "things are not going on very well."

"And that alone is an admission that Ghanaians are complaining. People are struggling in meeting their challenges in the country," he added.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper is unfazed with the pressure mounting on him.

He described as "sobering" the president's continued support and promised not to disappoint him, the party and the country.